Crowntail Betta
Getting to Know the Crowntail Betta
The Crowntail Betta belongs to the Belontiidae family and is native to Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. It is a carnivore that grows to a length of three inches. It does well in freshwater aquariums and should be housed in a minimum tank size of one gallon.
Optimal conditions for this type of fish include a temperature range of 75 to 85 degrees, pH level of 6.0 to 8.0, and dH level of no more than 25. It needs low light and it is considered an easy pet to manage. A tank for the Crowntail Betta should ideally have plenty of water plants as this will give it plenty of hiding places amid the foliage.
The most striking feature of the Crowntail Betta is its remarkable tail and which sets it apart from other fish in the Betta group. The Crowntail is sometimes described as having a teardrop shape. The tail has, what appear to be, the points of a crown and that is the reason for the name of the fish also.
These fish, which are spoken of as belonging to a group of Siamese fighting fish, have been actively bred to enhance the colors of the males and the features of the fins. An interesting note about the Crowntail Betta is that it is thought to be one of the oldest species of fish that have been kept in domestic aquariums. The male of the species tends to have more colors and definitely have longer fins than the females of the species.
These fish were also traditionally bred to increase their combative abilities – hence the fighting fish description – and so it is a good idea to house only one male in a tank. Territorial battles are likely to break out if more than one male is in a small tank. The females, which are distinguished by their smaller and shorter fins, are sometimes housed in two to a tank. Although, this should also be done only with caution and there should be careful monitoring of the tank mates.
As Crowntail Betta is a carnivore fish, these fish do well with a diet consisting of specially made fish food, quality flakes, brine shrimp, and freeze-dried or frozen bloodworms. If using frozen food, make it a point to thaw the food to room temperature prior to placing it in the tank. This will help the fish process it quickly and is less likely to impact the temperature or cleanliness of the tank. Unconsumed frozen food can end up leading to an unclean tank environment.
This species of fish tends to float or swim near the top of the tank. Another fun fact about the Crowntail Betta is that it is a labyrinth fish. Labyrinth fish are those that are capable of breathing oxygen directly from the air and this is a useful characteristic because these fish rise to the surface and breathe oxygen if the water is polluted or if it does not have enough oxygen for some other reason.
The Crowntail Betta reproduces by laying eggs. Those interested in breeding can house a male and female together for short periods. After the female lays the eggs, the male tends to the eggs by placing them in what is called a bubble nest. You can expect to see the fry emerge in a day or two and they should initially be fed small amounts of food. Ideally, it should be easily processed food such as powdered or crushed flakes or you can try newly-hatched brine shrimp. Thoroughly chopped hard-boiled egg yolk is also a recommended item in the fry diet.
If you have a large home aquarium and want to house more than one kind of fish it is useful to know that Tetras, Rasboras, Catfish, Danios, Plecos, Angelfish, Guppies, Platies, and Mollies are among the fish that are considered safe to be combined with the Crowntail Betta.